Some foods need special treatment for proper presentation.

For seasoned hot food or marinated cool food, add the food's dominant seasonings to the first coat of aspic. This will enhance the seasonings contained in the food.

Use clear aspic for subsequent coatings to cover and seal the seasonings.

Aspics for salads are prepared by adding the ingredients you would actually use in a vinaigrette dressing - herbs, mustard, garlic, pepper, etc. - into the aspic. However, do not add oil; this would ruin your aspic.

Make sure your greens are dry, cool and crisp. Dip them in the "vinaigrette," drain well and lay on a prepared sheet pan.

If the ends don't coat as well as the body, brush them with aspic after have completed glazing. Do not keep dipping them, or they will turn out thick and unappealing.

Foods that contain dough, such as pie wedges, pate en croute and barquettes, require yet another glazing procedure. Using a good-quality, soft-bristled brush, paint a coat of aspic on the non-dough portion of the food. (The dough portion of the food should remain unglazed.) Brush only once, in one direction, then turn the brush to another area. Repeated brushing will result in streaks or roughness.

As with other foods, cool thoroughly before applying a second or third coat.